GbD proposes a new public park that includes the city-owned Salt Lot, a triangular slice of land that sits just south of the point at which three branches of the canal meet. By bringing together infrastructure, community, and environmental stewardship, it will be a place where neighbors can better understand the community’s ties to its industrial history, resilient character, and the larger ecological forces that impact inclusive, sustainable development in the surrounding area.

Working with Loci Architecture, we were asked by the Gowanus Alliance to design a new community park under the elevated F & G subway line in the Gowanus neighborhood. The site between 2nd and 3rd Avenue is the former location of the Fran Brady Under The Tracks Playground which was removed when the MTA started its repairs of the overhead viaduct. We met with community representatives and conducted a visioning workshop that identified key elements of the park: passive and active recreation areas, a comfort station, a dog run, and an open area to support a weekend green market.

Mission Statement

Our goal is to shape a design for the Gowanus community that is guided by principles of sustainability, dynamism, diversity, and inclusion. In integrating new development with a post-industrial landscape, the Gowanus can serve as a model for other transitioning urban communities reconciling growth with environmental remediation. read more